Are ic! berlin glasses worth it?+
For people who care about engineering and weight, many say yes. The draw is the screwless construction and the feather-light feel of frames built from 0.5 mm stainless spring-steel sheet metal, which fans describe as durable and quietly distinctive. They sit firmly in premium territory, so the value is in the design and longevity rather than a bargain price. If you want eyewear that feels engineered rather than merely styled, this is the appeal.
How is ic! berlin different from MYKITA?+
The two are family, oddly enough. The brands share an origin, because in 2003 ic! berlin's original founders split, and Philipp Haffmans and Harald Gottschling went on to co-found MYKITA. Both are screwless and handmade in Germany, but ic! berlin's identity is its screwless, weldless, glueless sheet-metal hinge, while MYKITA became known for its own distinct hinge design. ic! berlin reads as the more industrial, engineering-led of the pair.
What is ic! berlin's signature design?+
The screwless hinge. ic! berlin produces eyewear from 0.5 mm thick stainless spring-steel sheet metal using a hinge design that avoids any screws, welds or glue in the construction of the frames. That single idea, a frame held together without conventional fasteners, is the whole brand in a nutshell and the reason the glasses feel so light and clean.
When and where was ic! berlin founded?+
It was founded in Berlin in 1996 by Ralph Anderl, who joined Philipp Haffmans and Harald Gottschling to market their idea for screwless sheet-metal eyewear. Unable to sell the idea at first, the trio set up production themselves. The company remains a German eyewear house based in Berlin, with its flagship store at Münzstraße 5 in the city's Mitte district.
What was the first ic! berlin frame?+
The first frame produced was called Jack, weighing 20 grams, made in an initial run of just 50 pieces. The brand started as ic! brille before becoming ic! berlin in late 1997, working out of a small apartment with a shop front on Max-Beer-Straße in Berlin-Mitte. That tiny, hands-on beginning is part of why the maker's-workshop story still defines the brand.
Are ic! berlin glasses really made in Germany?+
Yes. The company designs, builds and markets its eyewear in Berlin, today employing over 180 craftsmen, engineers and technicians who produce its original designs and sell them across 60 countries in Europe, North America and Asia. After early years in a Mitte apartment, ic! berlin moved to the nearby Backfabrik in 2005. That in-house German production is central to the brand's premium positioning.
Who owns ic! berlin now?+
Ownership has evolved over the years. In November 2017 founder Ralph Anderl sold a majority stake to the German investment company Premium Equity Partners, and in November 2023 it was announced that the eyewear group Marcolin had completed the acquisition of ic! berlin. The screwless sheet-metal identity has carried through the changes.
Has ic! berlin won any notable awards?+
It has a strong run of recognition. ic! berlin took the Golden Silmo Eyewear Award in Paris in 2008, and it was named Eyewear of the Year at Japan's IOFT show in three consecutive cycles, for 2009, 2010 and 2011. For a brand built around a single engineering idea, that kind of repeated industry acclaim speaks to how well the concept landed.
Has ic! berlin done anything beyond eyewear?+
Yes, it has stretched into fashion and culture under Ralph Anderl, launching a line of jeans and collaborating with designers and labels such as Kix, A Bathing Ape, Luisa Hecking and Superfine. In 2013, the German artist and entertainer Friedrich Lichtenstein even took up residency at the company as an ornamental hermit. The brand has always carried a playful, creative streak alongside its engineering.
Why are screwless frames considered durable?+
The pitch is structural. By using a hinge that avoids screws, welds and glue, ic! berlin removes the small fasteners that tend to loosen or fail on conventional metal frames, relying instead on stainless spring-steel sheet metal. That design choice is the foundation of the brand's reputation for lightweight, hard-wearing eyewear, and it is the main reason owners single these frames out.
